Global Pitch Competition FoodBytes! by Rabobank Heads to LondonCutting-edge food, food-tech and agtech startups are invited to apply to pitch

Rabobank, a premier global food and agribusiness bank, is bringing FoodBytes!, it´s food and agriculture pitch-competition-meets-networking-event to London for the first time on Thursday 13 September at One Marylebone. The event will see 20 game-changing startups pitch to an audience of hundreds of investors, industry leading corporates and other startups; all pioneering the future of food and agriculture.

First launched in San Francisco in 2015 as part of Rabobank's Banking for Food (B4F) strategy, FoodBytes! provides a platform for entrepreneurs to access mentorship and connections to grow their businesses. The B4F strategy is part of the bank´s ´Growing a Better World Together´mission which aims to feed the world sustainably by 2050 by addressing global food waste and loss, sustainable agriculture and stability of the food chain and nutrition. FoodBytes! has attracted over 3,500 attendees and received over 1,400 applications from 35 countries. More than 210 companies make up the FoodBytes! alumni community, including Europe-based startups Impact Vision, Koupe and Novolyze.

Pitch applications for FoodBytes! London are now open. Startups across Europe that demonstrate product innovation, commercial viability, traction and a focus on sustainability are encouraged to apply here before Sunday 1 July at 11:59PM GMT.

The two-day event begins with a mentorship workshop on Wednesday 12 September for selected startups led by experts on fundraising, PR, branding, consumer trends, legal and go-to-market strategy.

Lisa Sohanpal, Founder of Nom Noms World Food and member of FoodBytes! alumni commented: "The opportunities coming my way as a result of participating in FoodBytes! are continuous and endless. I can't thank Rabobank enough for the amazing support, connections, network and partners."

FoodBytes! London is supported by presenting sponsor ADM - a specialty ingredients provider to food and beverage companies looking to get to market quickly with products consumers love. Supporting sponsor, British dairy company Dairy Crest manufactures market-leading food brands including Cathedral City cheddar, as well as specialised ingredients for use in the infant formula, human nutrition and animal feed markets. Community partner organisations include Food + Tech Connect, HAX, The Kitchen, Dishy Media, Shake Up Factory, YFood, Food Evolutions, Future Food Institute, RebelBio and Thought for Food.

Apply to pitch at FoodBytes! London before Sunday 1 July at 11:59PM GMT. Tickets to attend are now on sale here.

Keep up with the FoodBytes! action by following on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, or view curated content via the hashtags #FoodBytes and #London.

Notes to Editors:

FoodBytes! By Rabobank

FoodBytes! is a next-generation pitch competition that aims to discover the most ground-breaking food and agriculture startups and provide them the mentorship and connections they need to grow. Since launching in 2015, 210 startups have pitched on the FoodBytes! stage, 1,400 startups have applied from 35 countries and more than 3,500 people have attended events in North America, Europe and Australia.

FoodBytes! is part of Rabobank's Startup Innovation initiative and is led by a global team based in New York City and Utrecht, The Netherlands. Rabobank is a leading global food and agriculture bank, providing sector expertise, strategic counsel and tailored financial solutions to clients across the entire food value chain. Rabobank believes that sustainability and innovation are critical in promoting a thriving food and agricultural industry that will feed the increasing global population, a key focus of its Banking for Food vision to grow a better world together by 2050.